| Full name | Irvine Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Irvinites | |
| Founded | 1875 | |
| Dissolved | 1881 | |
| Ground | Kilwinning Park | |
| Secretary | James Lightbody [1] | |
Irvine Football Club was a football club from the town of Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland.
| Full name | Irvine Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Irvinites | |
| Founded | 1875 | |
| Dissolved | 1881 | |
| Ground | Kilwinning Park | |
| Secretary | James Lightbody [1] | |
Irvine Football Club was a football club from the town of Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland.
The club was formed in 1875, as an offshoot of a cricket club formed the previous year, [2] and played its first match on the Burgh Moor in November that year against Portland of Kilmarnock, losing 2–0 after conceding two late goals to the more experienced club. [3]
The club was one of the entrants to the first Ayrshire Cup in 1877–78, being thrown out of the competition on a technicality.
Irvine entered the Scottish Cup on three occasions. Its first entry in 1879–80 saw the club disqualified without playing. Irvine was drawn at home to Cumnock, and set the kick-off for 3.30; Cumnock arrived two hours late because of a railway accident, Irvine refused to play, and both sides claimed the tie. The Scottish Football Association ordered a replay on the following Saturday, tossing a coin to see who would host the tie. [4] The coin fell in favour of Cumnock, but Irvine refused to turn up, perhaps peeved at having lost home advantage through no fault of its own, and the SFA disqualified Irvine for not complying with the SFA's direction. [5]
In 1880–81 the club played its only Cup match, at Beith, losing 4–1 after failing to take advantage of the strong wind behind its players in the first half. [6] The club was due to host Hurlford in the first round in 1881–82, but, on the basis that the players had not had any practice, the club agreed to cede the tie. [7]
The club's final competitive match was a 4–0 Ayrshire Cup defeat at Stewarton Cunninghame in October 1881, and the final actual recorded match a 3–1 defeat at home to the obscure Ayr Western. [8] A concert was given to raise funds for the club on 30 December 1881, although an advert for it appeared on the following day. [9] There are no recorded matches afterwards.
The club's colours were originally red, white, and blue, probably in hoops as the dominant design at the time. [10] The colours it registered with the Scottish FA were navy blue shirts and white shorts. [11]
The club originally played on the Burgh Moor, moving to a pitch on the Irvine Mains farm by 1878. [12] By 1879 the club was playing at the Newfield ground on the Kilwinning Road, [13] later the home of the Irvine Academicals.
Ayrshire is a historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety of the historic county as well as the island of Arran, formerly part of the historic county of Buteshire. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine and it borders the counties of Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire to the north-east, Dumfriesshire to the south-east, and Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire to the south. Like many other counties of Scotland, it currently has no administrative function, instead being sub-divided into the council areas of East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire. It has a population of approximately 366,800.
Ayr Thistle Football Club was a Scottish football team from the town of Ayr.
Ayr Academicals Football Club was a football team from the Scottish town of Ayr.
Coylton Coila Football Club was a Scottish association football club based in the village of Coylton, Ayrshire.
The West of Scotland Football League (WoSFL) is a senior football league based in the west of Scotland. The league sits at levels 6–10 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.
Kilmarnock Athletic Football Club was an association football club from Ayrshire in Scotland.
Annbank Football Club was a football club that existed from 1879 to 1920, from the village of Annbank, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Hurlford Football Club was a football club that existed from 1875 to 1924, from the village of Hurlford, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Kilbirnie Football Club was a football club from the village of Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Irvine Football Club was a football club from the town of Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Cumnock Football Club was an association football club from Cumnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Kilmarnock Portland Football Club was an association football club from Ayrshire in Scotland.
Maybole Carrick Football Club was a football club which existed in the 1870s, from the town of Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Stewarton Cunninghame Football Club was a football club from the town of Stewarton, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Tarbolton Football Club was a football club from the village of Tarbolton, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Catrine Football Club was a Scottish association football club based in the village of Catrine, Ayrshire.
Auchinleck Boswell Football Club was an association football club from Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Ladywell F.C. was a football club from Maybole, Ayrshire, active in the 1870s.
Beith Thistle F.C. was an association football club from the town of Beith in Ayrshire.